Bloodlust
by ArchangelDeath
Summary: kind of kinky, and not really dealing w harry potter, just one of the characters, but... what if viktor was really a vampire, and he had a fascination for another boy he met after a foreign exchange. boy on boy action. dont read if u dont like.new stuff
1. Foreign Exchange

New kids. You never really think about it, but they seem to change you life a lot even though it doesn't really seem that way when they waltz into your school life. Especially the foreign ones. It was another ordinary day in the middle of the fall term when, ta-daa, _he _waltzes. I hadn't really been attracted to guys before; everybody was a little gay, so I can't honestly say I hadn't looked at one in a certain taboo way before, but with him...that didn't matter anymore.

The class door swung open, interrupting our test period, not that I completely minded. Foreign History was not my greatest subject, I admit. The test wasn't looking too much in my favor, either. Through the door came Mr. Parris first, and our new student second. I know he was supposed to be on my grade level, but he seemed a several years older than I was: tall, large of build (did he work out? It showed if he did even through the large, leather jacket), an odd buzz cut, not blocky like our regular style, but shaped to his head with shady sideburns; dark, heavy eyebrows and even darker eyes with a stubbly beard at the end of his strong chin and slight faded mustache to match. His strong, dark features were almost chilling. I was guessing a far northern country somewhere in the far east. Transylvanian maybe? I wasn't the only one interested, apparently. Several of the girls in the room perked up, making last minute touches to themselves.

The principal cleared his blubbery throat, breaking my concentration from this guy. I cut my eyes at him to listen to just another boisterous announcement that everyone was going to tune out anyway. However, this one, I knew, would be worth listening in for. With a loud rattling, voice that sounded on the brink of death, Mr. Parris began. "Students." He made sure all eyes were on him...at least, for now. "Ms. Salvard," he added, with a wink at the somewhat young, brunette, flipping through paperwork on her desk. She gave him a look, then rolled her eyes, pretending to focus back on her work. He continued, "We have a new student to introduce to the class; foreign exchange. His name is Viktor. Viktor Krum. He's transferring from Bulgaria." My eyes immediately snapped back to the new student. Bulgaria...I had been close. Odd, why would he want to come _here _of _all _places?

"Viktor," the principal continued, "I'm sure you want to introduce yourself." The dark eyes went from distant, to cold, to warm all in a split matter of seconds as he looked out upon the class of twenty or so.

"Hullo," he greeted, in a deep, accented voice that seemed way older as well. Mr. Parris patted Viktor firmly on the back.

"Come on, I'm sure you can do a better demonstration than that." Viktor's eyes flashed dangerously, or was that me, 'cause the next moment, he looked almost worried. Was this some kind of act? "Come on, Vik, I know you must have a lot more to say than that. Share something, anything; maybe a past exp-"

"I don't think he wants to give out all of his information just like that, Mr. Parris," I cut in sharply, becoming tired of this man's useless cat and mouse game. And maybe because of Viktor, too, because just at that moment along with more than half of the rest of the class, he stared directly at me and grinned slightly. I found myself almost grinning back, then realized what I had just done. Mr. Parris seemed to be suffering a stroke or something, but I ignored him. Only Viktor... Wait, why was he so...important, all of a sudden? What would make me speak out like that? I didn't even know who he was, but I liked the look he was giving me.

Mr. Parris looked as though he was going to snap my head of with some form of nastiness, but Ms. Salvard foiled him, suggesting that maybe Viktor could sit down so she could continue with her class. The principal ruffled himself like a rooster that had just gotten knocked off its post and turned on his heel without another word. A few students whispered encouragements, but I didn't even see them anymore; all my focus was on _him_ and I had no idea why. Ms. Salvard quickly assigned him a seat right behind me, wouldn't you know.

Viktor settled into his new seating as Ms. Salvard announced that tests were still out and we had last than a half hour to work on them. I scribbled another answer. Another guess. _Crap._ "Thank you for that." That voice. I peered over my shoulder. "Helping me out with that man and all." Loved. That. Accent.

"It was nothing, really," I replied, trying not to seem to indifferent about it. "You seemed...uncomfortable..." He laughed deeply, yet soft enough so only I could hear.

"You could tell?"

"Empathy is just one of my many talents," I replied slyly. _Wait. Was I putting on sexy for him? He was a _dude! _What the hell was making me act like this?!_

"You have more?"

"I can't show you all of them_ now_," I added playfully. "It's only your first day; there won't be any surprises later on."

"At least tell me your name," he pushed, and I felt his hand fall on my shoulder heavily. My breath caught. It was like there was electricity coursing through the point of contact; I'd never gotten such a chill before.

"Caleb," I whispered, almost feeling that it was a great secret that we kept our names between us. He didn't lift his hand automatically like most would have, but squeezed my shoulder tight, sending another chill through me before he finally removed it, and I felt the strange curtain over me lift. What was that? Almost like he had some kind of aura about me after a single touch.

"I will enjoy sitting here, I think. I trust you very easily for some reason."

"I get that a lot," I replied strangely, pulling a couple of locks from my face and rubbing my hands together nervously, slightly darkening the already chocolate skin with the oils from my palms.

"Another one of your many talents?" I tried to focus on my work, but with Viktor behind me, boring his eyes... Wait, how could I feel that? I wasn't even looking at him. He seemed like a pretty nice guy; why would he? I faked a stretch and turned briefly to face him. He _was _staring at me intently; almost in dark longing. I jerked about face. I was being too obvious, he'd come on to me if he felt...things...

A tap on my shoulder. I jumped slightly, then looked over it. He grinned at me, and looked down at his desk. I looked over. It was a Foreign History textbook. I looked at him questioningly. He shrugged. I grinned, understanding. "Need help?"

"I do not want to be a burden-"

"It's cool; I'll h-"

"Caleb!" Ms. Salvard's voice cut in suddenly. We both jumped guiltily. I turned to face her.

"Yes?" I wondered politely.

"Since you seem to be so interested in Victor-" I felt my face get hot. "-he can be your shadow for the rest of the semester. I'm sure you can show him all the ropes." Ha, she thought she was embarrassing me or giving me some kind of burdened task; how wrong she was.

"If you see fit," I replied. She looked at me strangely. Was I smirking? I quickly buried my face back into the test. "Looks like you got your wish," I whispered back to Viktor. He chuckled.


	2. Closer

The final bell for class rang.

That laugh of his was contagious. I was practically beaming the whole way to my locker nearly on the other side of campus. Why was I feeling like this, all of a sudden? Then again, why would _he _of all people feel things? He wasn't gay, heck, I wasn't. Or at least I'd thought till I saw _him. _Another nasally bell sounded. Onto gym. Yay, sweat. Turns out, my most dreaded period wasn't all that bad-Viktor was in it.

He smiled at me from across the steamy locker room, teeth flashing. I shivered a little despite the dizzying warmth that clung all around me as I changed into the nasty school-issued gym uniform. I wasn't scrawny like a lot of the guys around me who weren't engrossed completely in sports, and I have to admit, the morbidly gray tank shirt we'd been given didn't look to bad on my leanly muscled body, but it was nothing compared to the beautifully stretched material across Viktor's huge chest. I'd been right about the whole working out thing.

I was very near speechless when he was finally done changing and came over to me, through the warm, mist curtains. "It's good to see a familiar face," he said, drawing me into his alluring eyes.

"Just don't get anywhere near me when we actually start moving," I replied, embarrassingly.

"I am sure there is nothing to worry about." His words were so solemn, it almost made me believe him. "You look as though you are very graceful."

"You've been watching me?"

"Maybe," he smiled. My heart fluttered a little more than it should have. I grew aware that people were starting to stare. Two guys talking this long in a locker room wasn't normal. I straightened from tying my shoe against a bench.

"I think we should get out there now," I muttered, beginning to walk away. He followed with an unnatural grace. I couldn't even hear his footsteps as he walked behind me. The coach hassled the class with a bullshit lecture about fitness. Mind you, he had a beer gut that would make a redneck jealous and jowls worse than Santa Claus at his prime. With some stupid whistle command, he set us into a frenzy of legs to begin warming up.

Gym class was already a mortal enemy, but it was a lot nicer having to someone to spend it with. Viktor and I jogged laps around the indoor track. He could've easily outrun me (by far, he was one of the fittest people I've ever seen), but he stayed with me at my pace. Just for me. I happily watched his bouncing chest in the even tight tank he wore as well as the rest of him, sweat dripping down his taut muscles... I forced myself to look away. My hormones were off the meter. What was wrong with me? I had to stop this. At least a few rounds of basketball would keep my mind off of him. I would be too busy trying to stay on my feet as I attempted to go up against the speed of the opposing team. Laps finished, I deliberately slowed my breathing as I hurried over to the ball rack and selected a rather beat up ball, and proceeded with Viktor to line up to be selected for a team.

Wouldn't you know, he, the foreign boy that hardly anyone but me knew was the very first to be selected, and I, who knew practically everyone, was dead last? And then to make it worse, I was put on his team. Great, now I had to royally screw up in _front _of him. Oh, joy. My team did a few warm ups with our balls (no pun intended!), working in jump shots and lay-ups, none of mine getting close to getting in. I kept my eyes to the floor. I knew they were all silently laughing at me if not groaning at the dead weight added to their team. However, Viktor seemed to have a spark of sympathy in his eye as I walked past him again, having failed miserably at another shot. My lip twitched happily at this, but I tried my best to hide it as we were moved onto official four-on-four games.

Jump shot. Ball came my way. I caught it easily with cat like reflex. I _did _ do martial arts, but I still remained absolutely terrible at sports for some unknown reason. Maybe I was just better at kicking people in their faces rather than trying to get balls over them. An arm shot out to smack the ball right out of my grip, but someone's body shot in front of it, the owner's hand smacking into their chest with a deep thud. I looked up. Viktor grinned at me over his shoulder. I gratefully smiled back. Someone on my team shouted my name, pulling me back into the game. I darted past another defender and passed the ball to another player, glad to be rid of the accursed thing. A shot went up... Two points, my team. I slapped undeserved high fives. Viktor winked at me when I drew up close to him, ready to defend against the other team. I grinned a little too much.

The game went on, Viktor miraculously keeping me from making a complete fool of myself. Somehow, he had managed to become perfectly aware of every screw up I could possibly make and find a way to disrupt that mistake just in the nick of time. He even caught me once from slamming face-first into the ground after I'd fallen for an obvious feint. There was a brief spark of electricity between us as we stared into one another's eyes as he pulled me back to my feet. Gym was done. I was foully drenched in my own liquids. Viktor seemed perfectly fine, just slightly drizzled. Glistening more in a beautiful godlike way compared to my repulsive one.

I stripped and changed in a corner, still not completely over my locker room shyness and he changed only inches away from me. I maddeningly resisted the urge to look at him standing there, naked, to the point I had to bite my lip till it bled. Viktor suddenly became very acute, glancing in my immediate direction. I looked away and hurried out of the locker room as fast as I could. He easily caught up to me as I headed for my locker.

"Where are you off to in such a hurry? I _am_ your shadow after all."

"Oh," I breathed, "it's only your first day. Don't you think you should get more accustomed before we start lessons? I'm not really I'm all that great of a teacher anyway." He flashed me one of his signature smiles.

"I'm sure you'll do fine. You are very talented. Even when you're bleeding." He rubbed my bleeding lip with his thumb, wiping away the ruby droplets. If I wasn't so dark, my face would've been as red as a tomato just then. He seemed to sense my awkwardness. "Are you okay?" His hand was on my shoulder. A chill went down the entire left side of my body, making my knees buckle a bit. I shrugged him off, wishing I didn't immediately, but occupying myself with my locker all the same.

"School's almost over," I said a little too coolly. "You should find your next class, Viktor." I could feel him giving me a look over my shoulder at my sudden frostiness. I hadn't meant it to sound so cold. It was just so... An all-call rang out over the school's speakers for Viktor just then. Too perfect, but I wasn't totally happy. I turned to meet his confused eyes. "They're looking for you; you should go," I said a little more sincerely. He looked a little crestfallen. I averted my eyes.

"Where to?" he wondered, in a far too implied sad, little voice. I felt awful. He seemed so nice, but I was falling so fast; against my own will even, and I had to put my foot down somewhere.

"Guidance. I'll show you." I hurried off in the direction of the guidance office. He followed easily with surprising grace, despite his size. I felt quite small beside him. The overly serene office came up to our right. Viktor swept by me, turning back to give a small wave. I smiled brightly despite trying to distance myself. He returned it and was gone before I could register that he'd moved. I felt a little empty watching him go, or rather, having missed him go. It was like I'd lost a part of myself when he was gone. Jeez, all this emotion after a day? What would the rest of the year be like?! I shook my head in some desperate attempt to put Viktor out of my mine, but he stuck there even through the rest of band, my best subject by a land slide, and the most comforting.

I referred to myself more as a music geek rather than a band geek. Band was one form of music, music itself was an entirety. The band grew quiet and I played a sweetly Irish tune for an oboe solo, imagining that Viktor was there, listening. I don't think I've ever played so well before... I moved past the intense opening of rapid notes into a light vibrato-filled passage, flowing through each note with as much passion as I could muster, my reed responding surprisingly well today. Music was truly expression.

I felt someone watching me as I gathered my bags and headed out of the school's band room. The presence was oddly familiar. Viktor appeared out of nowhere next to me. "You were beautiful," he whispered. I grew hot again, heart pounding.

"W-what?" I stammered, caught off guard.

"That was you playing, yes?" I nodded shyly. " I did not play an instrument back at home, so I was quite intrigued to hear you. You _are _quite talented." I was speechless. Someone, someone I'd just met in one day, was already brightening my world in just a matter of hours.

"Alright, shadow," I grinned. "You free after school?"

"I can fit something in," he replied, smiling, as if he'd actually had something to do.

"Time to get Americanized," I said leading him off to study hall.

* * *

**a.n.: **_the relationship between Caleb and Viktor is becoming more prominent. Will something happen soon?_

_Keep reading! And please REVIEW!_


	3. Hidden Feelings

Viktor and I fell into a routine over the next few days, coming closer and closer each day as I helped him shift over into American studies. We talked a lot, him of his home land and old friends while I listened mostly, not having anything to interesting to tell about myself really. It turned out that even though Viktor could speak English very well, his reading and writing skills were lacking somewhat. But I guess you learn to speak before anything else, not that I totally minded teaching him any chance I got... He was just...attractive. There was no other good word for it. Strong, but intelligent, cocky, but sweet, and those eyes-

"Caleb?" a gruff voice called, snapping me back to reality. My eyes slowly came from the heavens back down to Earth. Viktor was watching me in a concerned manner.

"Oh, sorry," I said, focusing again. "Zoned out for a bit there." I looked back down at the forest of notes spread out over the table and our textbooks. Note to self: do the work, not him. "Where was I? Oh, yeah, the economy of Czech Republic..." He continued to stare at me.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine, just a long day, really." The double doors of the study hall swung open at the same time. I looked over Viktor's shoulder to see Courtney Gibbons strutting her glimmering pinkness into the room. I rolled my eyes. The only reason that dumb, spoon fed cow would ever come in here- I looked at Viktor. "You've got a visitor, mate." We both pretended to occupy ourselves with the work laid out before us as she came over to our table and sat down on top of it right in front of me.

"You're Viktor, right?" she cooed, flipping her bleach blonde hair over her shoulder. Her sickly sweet voice made my ears want to bleed. Viktor looked around her hip, raising a dark eyebrow at me. I shrugged. He looked back at Courtney.

"Yes. I am."

"You're _much _cuter in person," she giggled sluttishly.

"Is there something you want?" Viktor asked almost out of boredom.

"Well, I know it must be hard coming over to a new country and all so I was wondering if you wanted a tutor or something?" The look on my face then must've been priceless. Viktor, however, handled it very well.

"I already have one," he replied. "You're sitting in front of him." Courtney looked back at me, scoffed, then turned back to Viktor.

"That loser?" she jeered. I looked down at my feet distractedly.

"I would appreciate it if you would not talk about my friends that way," Viktor said darkly, making my eyes widen in surprise a little. He was sticking up for me.

"But, he's just a-" Courtney started.

"You should leave now," Viktor cut in. Courtney flipped her hair annoyingly once more, then slid off the table and stalked off. She wasn't used to not getting what she wanted, and Viktor was way up there on the list. I kept my eyes down, ashamed to meet him face to face. "Why do you let them do that to you?" he asked softly after a while.

"They're just people," I muttered, keeping my face down. A strong hand gripped my chin gently and raised my head. My eyes had been down the whole time, but now they flicked up to meet his.

"You should not let people talk to you in that way," he said, true concern in his voice. I gave a small grin, and he grinned back, letting his hand fall. It was like losing a blanket on a cool night for I suddenly felt cold without him touching me as we went back into our studies. My feelings for him were growing. But how would it ever work out?

We went from class to class, always seeing each other except for last period. I was surprised Viktor hadn't learned an instrument and slid his way in there as well. There was something between us, more than friends, but I don't think it was what I think I wanted it to be. Though there had been awkward moments when his intense eyes were only focused on me. Don't get me wrong, several girls had attempted to pull a Courtney, but none had been close to being successful. I guess Viktor wasn't quite ready to settle down, 'cause he easily could've gotten any chick he wanted. The guys weren't interested in _that _way, of course, but his athletic ability and level of intelligence had caught their attention. However, he still spent his time only with me. It was kind of odd being so waited on especially by _him. _And I had noticed the looks we'd been getting, always being together. But we were just really good friends, right?

Rumors had their own funny way of being half true, or at least, convincing enough to start something.

Turns out Courtney wasn't going to be the only thing trying to get between. Gym was truly my worse nightmare, and what happened next only made it Freddy Krueger. People were staring at us oddly as we ran laps in sync again.. I honestly knew why. I had never had many friends before Viktor, and certainly none of them I had gotten as close to as him. And now, seeing me with him (especially after Courtney's relayed account) was becoming uneasy with them. I knew whispers of a certain "couple" had gone around, but nothing had really surfaced. That is, until now. POW! I heard the heavy medicine ball coming at me before I even turned to see it hurtling straight at my face. Viktor moved faster than I had ever thought possible, moving in front of me to take the full blow with a single hand. He didn't even flinch as it slammed into him with an echoing thud that made everyone in the vicinity go quiet. It fell to the ground with a loud plop. I stared up at him as he bent to pick up the ball, then held it up for everyone to see it. "Who's is this?" he demanded softly. A group of older boys came forward. Jocks, all of them.

"It's ours, what of it?" said one of the boys. I could hear the itch for a fight clearly in his voice. Viktor's dark eyebrows furrowed.

"Viktor, don't," I pleaded behind him. He ignored me.

"I think you need work on your aim," he said back to the boys angrily. "You almost hit Caleb here."

"That was the point, you dumb queer-" The medicine ball slammed into the speaking boy's face so hard, it knocked him off his feet, and he fell, bleeding to the gym floor. Several shocked gasps went through the gym. The other boys looked at Viktor, then to the bleeding boy on the floor, then back to Viktor, anger appearing on their grizzled faces. One was stupid enough to advance, ready to fight when Coach Howell finally showed up, leading to controversy. It was put off as a "little scuffle", but I knew this was far from over.

I stretched at my locker the following morning, glad to be rid of another awful test. Fiddling with the lock, then opening the metal door, I filed around inside, searching for the next piece of work to carry for after lunch periods when I felt someone's hand grab at my right shoulder. I spun around and came face to face with two chocolate-colored eyes. "Viktor..." I whispered, heartbeat quickening a little. I never usually saw him at lunch. He was always busy doing some kind of transactions in the guidance office. He leaned nonchalantly against the opposite locker, grinning. He _was _even better up close. Those hazelnut eyes and the thick muscles popping from under his clothes. I returned the smile, brushing my bangs away from my face.

"Did you want something?" I asked nervously. His presence; it was enveloping me, holding me to the spot. As if I'd run away...

"I am your shadow, remember?" he smiled. More fluttering in my chest.

"Well, it's lunch. Do you have anything to eat?" He held up a paper bag.

"Something from mum, though I would not mind trying American food." I pulled my lunch bag from my locker.

"Wanna trade?" Bulgarian food was new to me, but I wouldn't mind trying it. He switched almost as soon as the words left my mouth. I attempted to open his bag, but he stopped me, grabbing both my hands in one of his.

"Not yet." I eyed him, he looked at me. "It's a surprise."

"Well, then, I guess we should find someplace quieter." I grabbed his hand and led him through the vocational wing, up a flight of stairs, and into the rooftop greenhouse. We passed the rows and rows of beautiful bouquets, strange inklings, and wonderful scents all mingling in the cool, damp air of autumn. I pushed at the door opening onto the roof and invited him to sit on the edge with me. He gladly accepted and set, dwarfing me. He opened my lunch: a greasy burger, some fries, a shake. I looked at his: a hunk of some kind of meat, what looked like a powdered bread, a dark sphere, and what smelled like a heavy liquor.

I tried a bit of everything (except the alcohol) from his lunch as he did mine, and we both seemed to enjoy the little piece of the other's culture. "You know, you didn't have to do that today," I muttered, pulled the plum out last; it was the darkest plum I'd ever seen. It was such a deep shade of violet, it could have been the darkest shades of black. I bit into it, and smiled warmly as the sweetness burst into my mouth, some of the juice spilling out to run down my chin.

"I've grown used to having protect you; I don't mind." Viktor leaned forward and gently wiped it away, flashing me another of his signature smiles and forcing my heart to about explode out of my chest. You have been all I can think about lately, to tell you the truth." He continued to stroke my face, though, a light, feathery touch that made me shiver a bit. I could feel my pants tightening. Was I getting turned on? My hardening dick was giving all the answers I needed. I was growing nervous. Could this really be happening?

"Viktor, I-" I began.

Viktor suddenly moved closer to me. He was so close, I could see the flecks of gold in his dark, but warm eyes. He gently pushed the hair out of mine. I was getting lost in those eyes when I felt his hand move down onto my thigh. Was this really happening? Did he feel for me like I (mysteriously thought) I felt for him? "Viktor..." I whispered, almost a moan as I stared at the Bulgarian in surprise. The tiny whimper seemed to turn him on even more because he began to press up against me, our lunches falling uselessly to the gravelly rooftop. I felt a hardness on my leg. Was he getting hard over me?

"The food-we need to-get..." My brain went totally blank as his rough lips pressed onto mine. He smelled foreign like deep musk that was arousing me so much, I...

I pushed him away forcefully, looking away almost shamefully. "Caleb..." Viktor began shakily. "I am so sorry. I had thought..."

"Thought _what _?"

"The way you kept looking at me. How you get nervous when I am around you. I thought that you had had feelings... Am I wrong?" I tried to speak, but I was still shaking from what had just happened. Viktor attempted to put his hand on mine, but I pulled it away before he go the chance.

"If I am upsetting, just say so, I'll leave..." His eyes were almost pleading that I wouldn't.

"But, Viktor, I just met you... And, for you...to like me...but, you can't be ga-"

"I _choose_ who I like," he snapped angrily at the mention of the taboo.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to piss you off..." I reeled. "It's just you could easily get any _girl _in this school you wanted; why me?"

"Because I want _you_. I don't want somebody else." My breath caught at this. "You are kind," he continued. "And you can put a smile on my face so easily. And you...are beautiful..." My eyes had been down the whole time, but at this, they snapped up to meet his warm, brown eyes. "I am upsetting you, aren't I?" he said after an awkward silence.

"You're not... This is just...new...to me..." Viktor kept staring deeply into my eyes, searching me. I felt my heart hammering again. Did I really want those warm lips again? To feel his body pressed against mine? A bell rang off in the distance, signaling the end of lunch. I stood up. "I...have to go, Viktor." I turned to walk off, but he grabbed my wrist, holding me fast. I turned to meet the top of his chest as _he _stood up.

"Will I see you again?"

"Of course...you're my shadow,...remember?" Viktor chuckled.

"I _need _to see you again." His eyes burned into mine, and I pulled away, rushing back into the greenhouse not even noticing the looks I was getting from the newly gathered group of students. My heart was thumping hard against my chest with a mix of lust and fear. What was happening?


	4. Blood and Passion

The rest of the day went by oddly. Viktor was, of course, in all of my classes, except band. Our last names fell right beside each other alphabetically so he always ended up behind me. I could feel his eyes burning into me, wanting me to return his feelings, but I... I don't know. Somehow, I'd gotten around the emotional pull I'd felt before, and now... Another bell. The day was done, the rest of the day was mine. Finally. I packed my books back into my bag and slung it over my shoulder. Something pulled at the back of my messenger bag, making me stop. I froze, body tingling again.

"Viktor...let me go."

"Wait," he began, hurt in his eyes at my rejection. "I didn't mean to come at you so fast like that."

"It was the heat of the moment."

"No, I still do feel for you." He didn't give up, did he? I can't honestly say I hadn't thought about him as well, though.

"Viktor..." I sighed, and pulled away, folding my arms as if they would somehow hide my heart away from him. "I can't do this!" I shrugged him off completely, and ran out of the door, turning a blind eye to the hurt in his face. What the hell was I _supposed _to do?! I had...feelings, but... What had I felt before now? I had wanted him, and now it was more than just another teenage fantasy; it was real, and I don't think I was honestly ready for it. I was so_ stupid _! Leading him on like that! Was I even ready for a real relationship? And then, a gay one at that...

The cool window of the bus felt amazing against my forehead as I leaned my head sluggishly against it. What would my parents think? What would everyone _else _think?! Oh, wait, they're just people... One of the last things I said to Viktor before he... I smiled at his name, his face appearing in my mind. It _had_ felt good. Why had I freaked out like that? Maybe I was delirious... Sleep would do me good, I guess.

After a quarter of an hour of riding, the bus creaked up to my driveway. I lugged my bags on and dragged myself to the door, hardly paying any attention to the assholes ogling me with those dumbass expressions on their faces. They already thought I was a queer, and now... I opened the door, dumped my bags on the other side, and trudged in moodily.

My mother looked up from a boiling pot. "How was your day?" A million answers flooded my brain, but I only expressed one, and it was a lie.

"Fine," I grumbled, looking up distantly into the steam rising above the pot.

"You don't honestly _seem _all that fine," she replied, stirring some kind of spice into the awaiting meal. I sighed, muttered, "Don't worry 'bout it," and trudged upstairs where I threw myself face down on my bed and unwillingly let my brain flash me everything I had done with Viktor. All the fun...the lust. I rolled over, and having had enough, tried to force the images from my mind, but I couldn't. I cried out in frustration and slipped over to my laptop, pulling up my profile page. _New messages_, I thought. _Please don't be- _I opened my inbox. Phew, none from _him. _Just the opposite, hate mail. How the fuck did these assholes even get my freaking screen name? I deleted them one by one, glaring at the headings: hey, fag. so u and viktor huh? how many queers does it take to screw in a light bulb? I scanned over the screen, found the block user icon and stamped all of them.

_Ding. _I looked down at the bottom of the screen. xXthebulgarianXx has sent an IM; answer? I clicked "yes". I don't know why, my brain seemed to be independent from my heart now.

xXbulgarboyXx : im srry... can we talk?

Fallenangel23: howd u find me?

xXbulgarboyXx: i get around. _So now your stalking me, _I thought, beside myself.

Fallenangel23: what do u want?

xXthebulgarboyXx: u.

Just seeing the words made me fidget a little.

Fallenangel23: who did u get my name from?

xXbulgarboyXx: another boy in our class, he said he was good friends w/ u... tall, bad skin... he had an odd smile... wat's ur english word for it... a joker grin?

My heart skipped a beat. Only one asshole fit that description. The biggest one of them all:_Richard Davies._

Fallenangel23: viktor, stay away from him, and dont do this ever again.

xXbulgarboyXx: caleb, wat is wrong?

I signed out, slamming the laptop down. They knew. Those messages on my profile... They knew. About me and Viktor, for real. _This is going to be plastered everywhere! _I thought frantically. The entire school would know what was happening between us by Monday morning next week... How could I have let this happen?!

"Caleb!" Mom called. "Dinner's ready; come eat!" I was horrified. I couldn't even bring myself to move.

The rest of my free weekend went by in absolute turmoil, leading up to that faithful Monday. Trying to play sick would have been pointless, Mom was into medicine. However, I did get out of riding the bis to school, feigning that I had set my alarm wrong. My mother pulled up to the front of the school grounds. I looked up drearily at the dark clouds swirling slowly over us, eager to burst forth with downpour. My Mom called back to me if I was okay, I gave a slight gesture and she rode off, leaving me to my fate.

I trudged up to the door. People coming and going around me, each ceased what they were doing in turn to gawk at me, some laughing, others pointing, and even more merely shook their heads as if I was some dying child on the street. _Bastards. All of them._

Ever wish you could go back in time and change something? We all have, but I think me meeting Viktor would have to be the ringer. Even though my life was ruined, I still needed to apologize to him. He'd was all that had been on my mind the past three days. Now I needed to see him again. To find some kind of comfort, maybe?

I popped open my locker, stuffed a few books in my bag, and was about to close it again when a hand fell on my shoulder. "Viktor-"I sighed, turning to meet a wide joker grin on the acne-ridden face of Richard Davies. _Not Viktor. Shit._

"Guess again," Ricky sneered, shoving me up against the lockers. A crowd began to gather at the noise, eager to see a fight, but no teachers. Funny how they were never around when you actually _wanted them. _

"What do you want?" I sighed, knowing it was pointless to get mad, and just egg him on more.

" I want the fucking fags out of here," he snapped. I looked around with fake curiosity.

"Fags? I don't see anybody except the dumbass redneck harassing me," I retorted. "And when you do finally figure out that I insulted you in that tiny brain of yours, we can discuss this later." WHAM! I had prepared to deflect the blow with the few years of martial arts experience I had, but a strong hand had shot in front of my face, catching Ricky's fist. I followed the length of the muscular arm to see Viktor. I stared quizzically at him, he looked back at me, and I felt my face grow hot again. The previous cheering crowd had gone silent, confused.

"Stay behind, I will handle this," he said with such seriousness that I couldn't find any way of arguing back. And stood down. Ricky tried to use the distraction to his advantage, launching another punch from his opposite hand, but his fist stopped in mid-air as he gave an oddly high-pitched scream. There was an awful _crack_. Ricky reeled back, screaming and holding his withered hand. Viktor had just crushed every bone in his hand at one time.

Viktor moved faster than I thought humanly possible, appearing right in Ricky's face with an expression that would make the devil piss himself. "I think your hand got smashed in a door," he stated. Ricky cowered, shaking. "And, if you ever mess with Caleb again, you won't have to worry about the pain you feel now, you'll be dead." Viktor walked back over to me as the crowd dispersed, disappointed that Ricky had lost, but glad to have seen him go out like that.

"Are you okay?"

"I am now." I smiled sheepishly. "Thanks."

"It was noth-" Viktor stopped suddenly, a pained grimace coming across his face.

"V-Viktor?" I began. He fell against me, nearly crushing me into the ground, but I managed to catch him and turn him sideways, sliding to the floor with him. A wicked switch blade was sticking out of his back. Scarlet seeped through his shirt, darkening its color maliciously. I looked up to see Ricky slumped against the wall and cuddling his broken hand, a satisfied smirk on his face.

"You fucked up my boy, now I fucked up yours, fucking queer." Our audience was silent, just watching as Viktor slowly bleed to death in my arms. I looked pleadingly to each of their faces, but no one made a move. Finally, I snapped, tears welling hotly in my enraged eyes.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, people?!" I screamed. "Help him!" Nobody moved. I was becoming delirious, the hot tears pouring down my face. I must've looked crazed.

"Somebody!" I pleaded. "Do...something!" And yet, still no one stirred. That's when it hit me. They were afraid. They were afraid to help these two _fags_ because of how their image would look, and what Ricky might do the them. I could honestly not sit there and believe that they would watch someone die over something so stupid. I eased Viktor to the floor, rolling him on his side to keep his face off the floor and the knife from going any deeper into his back. I stood, shaking with rage and walked over to the nearest bitch: Courtney. I held out a hand.

"Give me your phone," I said simply, forcing myself to calm. She shook her head and cowered slightly, clutching the phone I knew was in her hands to her. "Courtney, _give-me-your-phone. _Now." She shrank back even more. This was getting nowhere. Putting every bit of rage and hate for all the bastards around me; and the passion I now felt for Viktor into my hand, I punched the shit out of that bitch's face, sending her sprawling into the floor, her cell phone sliding across the floor to rest against a wall.

Someone made a move to get it, but stopped as I said, "Touch it, and you'll end up just like that stupid bitch over there." I pointed to where Courtney lay whimpering and bleeding against a huddle of her friends. The guy backed away fearfully as I bent to pick it up, flipping it open and dialing the classic help hot line. I walked back over to Viktor and kneeled beside him, listening to instructions on what to do until the paramedics arrived.

I leaned down and gently kissed his forehead. "I'm so sorry..."


	5. Revealation

_Beep... Beep... Beep... _I had always hated the sound of that heart monitoring machine. It was an even louder and more obnoxious now that I had to watch Viktor's life slowly slipping then coming then slipping again. Several times he had stopped breathing all together and his heart had slowed drastically thanks to the blood that had seeped into his respiratory system. There's nothing in the world worse than seeing someone you care about suffer and not be able to do anything about. I could only watch and cry more when his chest stopped moving or he spat blood unconsciously, the medics rushing in with hoses and other implements, shoving me out of the way so they could work on him. I was his only visitor; there was no signs of his parents anywhere. Did they not care? Had they not heard? No, the hospital informed family immediately when something like this happened. So, then, where _were _they?

The medics cleared out of the room for the fifth time that day, leaving us alone together. They had tried to make me leave before, but that had taken a very nasty turn in my favor. A lot of screaming, a broken nose, some bruised ribs. Surprisingly, they didn't call security, although a kind, dark-haired woman with the sleek beauty of a raven shooed them off, allowing me to spend the day with him. She had no accent, I recall, but she did resemble Viktor very closely, almost like a sibling. What had it been...?

Viktor suddenly gave a slight cough. I looked for any signs of blood, but there were none. He stirred, eyes slowly opening. He sat up all of a sudden in a cascade of bed sheets, grimacing as the stitches in his back pulled against his flesh. I pushed him back down gently, steadying him. "Don't move to fast," I said. "You're still pretty messed up." He looked up at me.

"Caleb?" he said weakly.

"Don't tell me you've lost your memory, too," I replied with a grin. He gave a small smile, too.

"What-happened?" Viktor asked slowly, attempting to sit up again. I helped him gently into a sitting position, his back cradled against a forest of cheap pillows.

"When you turned away from Ricky... he stabbed you in the back, literally. You passed out, and I called the hospital."

"I passed out from a knife in the back?" he wondered, like it was no big deal.

"Um, yes, _you did," _I said worriedly. "Does this happen frequently or something? To the point where you shouldn't faint from blood loss?"

"'Or something'," he answered distantly. He senses seem to come back because he immediately turned to me and asked, "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you. I've been with you since you went under."

"But, why? After what happen-" I wrapped him in a tight hug (which, by the way, is an impressive feat when someone like me, can even get their arms even half way around someone like Viktor), falling upon his chest in tears. I found myself crying a lot lately which was new to me. But, if he could change my heart this much...

"I'm so sorry!" I cried softly. "I didn't mean for it to be like this. It's my fault you're like this right now; I'm so stupid!" I felt Viktor's hand stroke my back lightly then move to my head, pulling me in closer.

"Ssh...it's okay..." he whispered, returning my embrace.

"When...when you got hurt...I lost my mind," I mumbled. "I had always liked you, but this showed me how much more I felt for you. I'm sorry to have put you through so much pain-" Viktor lifted my chin and I met his eyes. He kissed me gently, quieting my rambling, and I did not resist this time, closing my eyes at the welcoming warmth of his lips against mine. It was the best feeling in the world. He pulled away, smiling smugly. He wiped the tears from my eyes with his thumbs and touched his forehead to mine.

"I am just glad to be with you again," he whispered.


	6. Secrets,Truths

_**a.n.: here it is; finally, what you were all looking for. I got some time in to finally write more. caleb and viktor are in for something special this chapter; hope you enjoy, and sorry again for the wait.**_

_**a.n.2: so, as you can see, you should've gotten an update for this chapter. It is complete. No funny business, no games. This is all of chapter six, and it was a LONG one. Whew. But I finally got some time thanks to spring break. I hope you enjoy!**_

Viktor recovered with amazing speed over night; his doctor was beyond puzzled, constantly muttering, "'I've never seen anything like this'," as he examined Viktor to find not even a hint of a scratch let alone any disfigurement. Viktor was released with a clean bill of health and a good bit of head scratching. His bill was to be mailed to the mysterious parents whom hadn't seemed to have given a damn about their injured son. I had tried to ask Viktor about it, but he had carefully avoided the subject and attempted to change topics, convinced that they had been far too busy to see him.

How busy can you be not to see your son after he's been stabbed and temporarily in a critical condition? Something wasn't right with this, but I 'd touch on it again later. I realized as we stepped out of the automatic doors that we were both stuck at this hospital without a ride. "Um, Viktor?" I wondered. "How are we getting home? I can't drive, and my parents are deep into their work..."

"I contacted an old friend; he should be here soon." And sure enough, a deep humming sounded to my left. A sleek, dark rolled in front of us.

"Looks like you've gotten the hang of this whole transfer thing," I joked to Viktor as we walked over to the car. "Already got your own transport service." He punched me playfully on the arm. He opened the back door and I slid in (no pun intended!). It was nice. A lot roomier than a thought with extremely soft leather that I sank into a little as I sat. There was a small bar with a dark bottle of something already sitting in a tub of ice.

_Bulgarian men, _I thought with a grin. Viktor scooted up next to me and our mysterious chauffeur looked back finally as he closed the door, making the car incredibly dark except for a deep red light in the ceiling. The man's face was scarred, but not in a horribly disfigured way more like someone who'd been in too many knife fights. He was bald and wore sleek shades so I couldn't see his eyes. And when he smiled at Viktor I got a glimpse of his incredibly straight teeth, except for the odd canines which seemed far sharper and unusually longer than the rest of his teeth. Viktor nodded towards the man in greeting.

"Gavrail," Viktor greeted.

"Viktor. Good to see you again." He voice was deep, dark. With a trace of an accent that had recently been lost. Gavrail looked over at me and smirked toothily, exposing those fangs again. "And Caleb, I presume?" I inclined my head a little.

"Nice to meet you." Gavrail extended a hand and I reached up to meet it, but Viktor grasped Gavrail's hand suddenly, patting it in his clasped hands in what seemed a friendly manner. But the frigid look that was on Viktor's face as he and Gavrail made eye contact told differently. Gavrail retracted his hand and turned back around in his seat, placing his hands on the steering wheel and peering back at us through the rear view mirror.

"Where to?" he asked icily.

"My house, first. I'm sure you can remember _that_, at least," Viktor replied, smoothly. I looked at him suspiciously, but he merely smiled as if nothing had happened and reached for a the bottle in the tub, popping off the top with a hiss, and pouring the almost blood-colored liquid into a glass, and handed it to me. He poured himself a glass and settled the bottle back into the tub of ice. He raised his glass. "To good health and new love," he toasted.

"Viktor, you know I don't drink," I said quietly. He smiled at me.

"It is good for you. Try some." But I wasn't backing down just yet. I placed the glass gently in a holder beside me.

"No thanks, I'm fine. Really." Viktor sipped lightly from his glass and swirling the dark liquid a little, pushed it closer to me, gazing at me intently.

"Drink. Please." I tilted my head a bit as he pressed closer. Viktor tipped the glass a little and the wine fell into my mouth, drizzling down my throat. Surprisingly, it didn't burn on the way down like most alcohol, but was in fact unbelievably cold. Didn't taste too bad for my first alcoholic beverage, either. I felt a little dizzy as he set the glass down, and moved farther on top of me in the seat. Weird, the wine was working so fast... I looked up at him, he looked down at me. "I want to give you something," he whispered.

"What?" I asked lazily. Viktor pushed me farther against the seat.

"This." My breath caught as he came in to kiss me. Tender and warm with more passion than before. His hands slid down my back, and mine worked up his. I had been hiding away from him so long. I completely relaxed, letting him have me. I wanted him now. Viktor drove his tongue into my slightly parted lips, and I shivered. He pressed his entire bulky body to me, sandwiching me between him and the seat. I moaned softly as we kissed deeply, losing everything around us.

Viktor ran his fingers through my coarse hair and I ran my hand against the stubble along his husky face. We pulled apart, gazing at one another. He gave a little grin and began to kiss my neck, making me moan again in pure ecstasy. He nipped me slightly and I laughed, closing my eyes at the mix of tickled delight and modest pain. His hand worked its away up my shirt and rubbed my stomach, fingers lightly moving along my happy trail, tickling the soft wake of hair.

I draped a hand over his, leaving the other to creep up onto his bare back. He winced, and I withdrew my hand immediately, having forgotten about his injury. But, wait... he had been released, there'd been no sign of a wound even! "Viktor, what's wrong?" I asked suspiciously. "Your back?"

"Must've...been a recoil or something..." he muttered.

"But, your back was fine. There wasn't a mark or anything."

"Guess it's the inside," he said. I looked at him awkwardly as he pulled himself off of me. I felt someone else's eyes on me. The driver...had been watching the whole time. He gave a smirk as he saw me watching, flashing those fangs. I shuddered. Creepy.

Viktor sulked out of the window for the remainder of the ride, very unlike him. So many things had happened in the past month, my head was swimming with frustration, too. I leaned over and laid in Viktor's lap, looking slyly up at him. He smiled down at me, leaning down to kiss my cheek lightly. "Do you trust me?" he asked with a slight unnerving edge to his voice.

"Yes..."

"You shouldn't."

"There's more to you, isn't there?"

a.n.: Not done, w/ this chapter, srry I had to cut off like this, something came up. / But tell me how you like it, anyways! :)

"You do not even know."

"Then, tell me." He gave me a look, but I challenged him with one of my own.

"How much do you think you know, or is analyzation _not_ a talent of yours?" he mocked.

"Well..." I chewed my lip in thought. "If we start from the day I met you...; I was incredibly drawn to you, like there was... some outside force _making_ me fatally attracted to you, then, you're strong enough to send people flying off their feet with a ball as well as crushing their hands like a sugar grinder, you're incredibly agile, despite the amount of muscle you have, which brings up another issue of how you could've possibly let Ricky stabbed you with the reflexes you have... Stop me if I'm wrong." He smiled in a creepy way like a serial killer finally busted for everything he's done, but proud to get the attention at the same time.

"Continue," he said softly.

"And _then, _the fact that you're injury would've killed most people, and shrugged it off in one night; you're parents are nowhere to be seen at this fatal moment, either, then you have no visible scarring or damage, but you still felt pain when I touched the spot, as if it were an internal bruise that's been plaguing you." I stopped, and looked to his face for some sort of reaction.

"Anything else?" I thought for a moment.

"And you always seem to know where I am, or what's going to happen before it does. Then, there's that sensitivity to blood-" His breath caught. I smirked triumphantly. "Didn't think I'd caught that one, did you?" I accused playfully. His eyes glittered dangerously.

"You _are_ good at this, aren't you?"

"I try," I muttered. I hesitated. "So what does it all mean?"

"An explanation right now would not be beneficial for you nor me."

"So we have secrets now?" He laughed softly.

"This is so far over your head..." I cocked my head in the cutest way I could muster.

"Will you tell me... eventually?" I asked sweetly. He smiled at this sudden display.

"Tonight, I will help you, but as to the whole thing, I could not possibly tell you. Where is the fun in that?" I gave him my best pout, but he laughed and flicked my nose. His deep brown eyes were suddenly very close to mine, and my heart was racing once again. I'm sure he must've heard it, as close as he was. His deep musky, foreign smell washed over me, arousing me even more. "Caleb, you are quite fascinating."

"I'm not the only one," I retorted, half-heartedly, caught in his gaze. We locked eyes for a moment, trapped in our own minds as well as trying to figure out the others when the car rolled to a stop. The driver glanced back at us.

"We've arrived," he said curtly, almost annoyed. I sat up, and followed Viktor out of the backseat where I got my first view of his home: a little townhouse style dwelling in between two larger houses. It looked fairly comfortable, despite it's obvious age.. Homey even with its Gothic architecture and the trails of ivy weaving their way up the outer walls. A Victorian twist, I recognized as I spotted the jutting tower like structure above the circular porch and the many roofs and windows for how tucked away it was.

Viktor turned away, whispered something to Gavrail through his window, and passed him something I couldn't quite see. Gavrail drove off without another word leaving us there to walk up the sand colored brick driveway. Viktor unlocked the front door, and I made a move to follow him inside, but he stopped me on the threshold. "Now is not a good time; wait here."

"But-" I protested. He put a finger to my lips, quieting me and making my heart skip a little. He turned back into the house and closed the door behind him. I checked the handle. Locked out; the story of my life. Okay. Weird.I sat gloomily on the stoop. _I've never seen him act that way. _Viktor was usually a calm, laid back person, and that short moment had made him lose face, seriously. The curiosity buzzing through me right now was almost painful. What was he hiding?

A few moments later, the revving of an unseen engine came somewhere off to my right. I peered past the stoop to see a candy apple red sports car roll up from some hidden away ramp and stop in front of me. Viktor grinned from the rolled down window of driver's seat, motioning me to join him. He'd changed out of his medical garbs and traded them for something more goth. Not surprising with his dark features. "You drive?" I asked redundantly, as I slid into the passenger's side and shut the door behind me.

"One of my favorite things to do."

"Nice car," I commented as Viktor started off. "Your parents'?"

"All mine," he replied, with a grin.

"Pretty nice car for having just moved overseas," I said with faux nonchalance. Viktor pretended not to have heard me. _So he _is _hiding something from me._ I was about to press for more when Viktor changed the topic, knocking the ball way back into my court.

"So why _did _you pull away from me that time I first tried to come onto you," he asked. "You _did _like me didn't you?" I had to give it to him. Besides that little slip up from earlier, Viktor had an amazingly cool head, and total control over a situation.

"It was my first time ever kissing someone like that," I replied softly. "Let alone another _guy. _I guess I freaked a little." He chuckled. "You'll have to excuse me if I'm not as talented at this as you," I replied with a little more edge to my voice than intended. He sensed it for the amazing smile fell from his face.

"You are my first," he muttered almost sheepishly. It was my turn to laugh now.

"You've never been with anyone before?" I asked, too incredulously.

"No," he said flatly. I let another giggle escape.

"Sorry. Really. It was just... someone like you... I would've thought you'd had this in the bag."

"Getting someone is not the problem; finding the right one is where the issue lies."

"I feel special now," I returned.

"You should. You are one of a kind." I snorted.

"Don't waste compliments on me, of all people."

"You are worth it." Viktor looked over at me, and my heart fluttered. He grinned as if he could hear it. I wouldn't be surprised if it was one of _his _many talents. I broke the gaze nervously and peered out of the window. My exit flashed past. We were moving extremely fast. If we hit something now...

"Don't you think you should slow down? You passed my turnoff."

"We are not going to your house; somewhere far more exciting is in order." I gave him a look. "You'll be fine, trust me."

"You said I shouldn't."

"You pay far too much attention." I grinned.

"So where _are _we going?"

"You need to get out more. I'm giving you a push."

"I'm screwed, aren't I?" He actually laughed aloud for the first time since I'd met him. It was like hearing the giant bells you see in Notre Dame, deep and welcoming.

"I have not laughed like that in a long time," he smiled.

"So, making fun of me has rekindled your spirits?" Viktor said nothing, merely grinning beautifully.

"I'm getting you back for this, you know," I muttered, sulking.

"You will thank me eventually."

We pulled up to what appeared to be a large abandoned brick warehouse. The only sign that anyone was present were the multitude of expensive cars parked around it and the few odd looking people entering through a steel door on the side. I glanced over at Viktor, but he was already out of the car and opening my door for me.

I stepped out, giving him a look. Something bad was going to happen with me in a warehouse full of people, I just knew it. He gripped my hand and pulled me along towards the steel door. A little window in the top slid back to reveal a pair of dark, glowering eyes. "ID?" came a gruff voice. Viktor smiled widely.

"And what about that one?" said the voice, eyes switching over to me.

"He is with me," Viktor said with such authority it almost made it sound like he ran the place. The guy behind the door grumbled, and pulled the steel frame back to let us through. As soon as we stepped through the threshold, a wave of sounds hit me. The first, of course, was the deafening pulse of music blasting from every side of the humongous expanse of space, the next, was the chatter of the sea of people below the railing we stood at, all moving in waves of pulsing rhythm, and the third was my heart against my chest as I realized where I was.

I rounded on Viktor. "_A club_?!" He pretended not to have heard me and dragged me along into the crowd, grinning his crooked smile the whole way. Was it me or did the expanse of people around us part when Viktor came through? They were certainly giving us looks either way. I dropped my eyes to the floor, not wanting to meet their intimidating gazes. Viktor stopped. I looked up. We were in the dead center of the throbbing club. If my motor skills were off, my rhythm was truly god awful.

"Viktor, this is a _really _bad idea-" I began to yell over the cacophony surrounding us. He grabbed my hands, spinning me so my back was pressed against his chest, then crossed my arms in front of me, steeling me with my own limbs.

"Trust me," he whispered into my ear, and I still somehow heard him over the noise. His words relaxed me into another haze. That power again. I was held to the spot, yet I could still move freely. He began to move to the music and I followed, trying to find some beat in the rush of heavy foreign lyrics that poured through the speakers in accompaniment. I began to loosen my guarded stance, and Viktor felt it, too, easing up a little on his physical hold on me. The slight haze still remained; probably to keep from escaping, but I was actually starting to enjoy myself _especially _being in Viktor's arms like this.

The blasting techno switched over into even faster song that sounded a lot like _Every Time We Touch _in German. Viktor and I switched pace to the faster rhythm; he let go completely and moved his hands down to my waist; I brought my arms up around my head and let our bodies flow into one rhythm, moving to the pulse of the music and the floor of ravers.

I got lost in the mix of haze and dancing. Things were moving too fast for me to get much of a grip. I could hardly even feel when another arm whisked me out of Viktor's grip and suddenly I was very close to another dancer. I looked up, confused, at the new face: much like a angel that had not seen the sun, he was pale, yet beautiful at the same time. His hair was a mix of black and russet, the thick curls hanging slightly over his eyebrows which were curved happily above a pair of steely eyes, that glanced down at me with the hungry look a competitor gives a big shiny trophy. A glistening white smile-much like Viktor's-broke out slyly across the rigid face as he shifted his gaze to give Viktor a challenging stare.

"You don't mind if I dance with you're partner, do you?" the newcomer jeered acidly with an accent like Viktor's, twirling me around so I shakily faced Viktor as I fell back against my captor. His haze was not nearly as strong as Viktor's, but he forced his to the point of nearly blinding me with the pressure. Viktor's eyes flashed angrily from the dazzled look on my face up to the pointed smile of the newcomer.

"You would do well to release him," he replied, a growl starting in the back of his throat.

"Or what?" he mocked. "You will attack me in a packed room of brethren for a blood bag?" Brethren? Blood bag? I wish my head wasn't swarming surreally from the pressure of these two, then maybe I could actually understand what the hell was going on. What happened next was so fast, it wouldn't really have matter if I was completely focused or not. Whatever the guy holding me had said had severely pissed off Viktor because in the next instant, I was ripped away from his arms and thrown backwards into the floor; the only sound in my ears, the deafening _whoomp_ of several pounds of displaced air.

The crowd around me had immediately ceased dancing, focusing, suddenly interested, on the large blur that swept past me. My eyes followed the blur as I watched for some sign of what was going on when I spotted Viktor slamming the steely-eyed guy into a nearby wall, sending a spiderweb of cracks coursing through it with a sound like thunder. Viktor released his hold of the guy's throat. Blood trickled down the steely-eyed man's forehead as he slumped in a heap to the floor. Viktor calmly walked over to me, helping me to my feet as almost all eyes in the room were on us.

"Are you alright?" he asked stonily. I nodded distantly, still a little dizzy. "Come. A drink is in order." Viktor led me back through the crowd to the opposite side of the warehouse where dark leather booths lay in semi circles near a bar. I looked past all the stares aimed at us to see two burly guys-one with a spiked mohawk and the other wearing heavy face makeup-carrying the steely-eyed man away from the floor. The music blared louder in attempt to jump start the party again, and the ravers submitted, returning to their feral pulsating. Viktor gently lowered me into one of the booths, then scooted in himself, blocking me off from the outer end. I felt the haze lift, and a million things flooded into my head at once.

"Viktor, what just happened?"

"Not now," he snapped. I looked over at him with a mix of concern and shock. A goth chick in the tightest, sluttiest outfit I've ever seen, danced over to us and asked Viktor something in what I assumed was Bulgarian. He nodded, speaking back very quickly, then turning away from her. She looked a bit put off, but she hurried off in the direction of the bar. He must've ordered drinks.

"Then when?" I pushed, continuing the conversation anyway I possibly could. "You said you would tell me what was with all of this." He didn't look at me, instead clasping his hands together on the table, and shifting his eyes to some distant spot on the floor. "Viktor!" I snapped, getting pissed now. I moved close against him and stared him dead in the face. He looked over at me; it wasn't a good look, either.

"I am sorry you had to see me like that..."

"I didn't see much of anything, honestly. You were moving too fast." He didn't even crack a small grin; unlike him. I changed course. "Who _was_ that guy?"

"Someone just trying to pick a fight," he muttered.

"He was... a lot like you..." I said quietly.

"He is _nothing _like me!" Viktor hissed, slamming his hands down on the table. My eyes widened. What was wrong? I'd never seen him like this. It was scary. Another approach was in order. I slid an arm around his broad shoulders and brought his face close to mine, kissing his lips gently, then staring into his eyes.

"It's not your fault; he caught us both off guard," I whispered, hitting the nail on the head. His expression softened.

"How do you do that?"

"What?"

"Know exactly what's wrong with someone no matter how much they try to conceal it."

"I don't really know, lucky guess?"

"Then why did you make it a statement rather than a question?" he pressed.

"I've always been able to tell about people...; sense things normal people can't," I admitted. "Don't ask why, I can't explain it myself."

"Have you always been able to... sense things?" I pulled away from him, shaking my head.

"Uh-uh; I've told you something, now you tell me what you're really about." He sighed.

"You're not giving up, are you?" I folded my arms over my chest to emphasize my point.

"Fine," he grunted, beaten. He looked dead into my eyes. "You will not believe me-"

"Hello, Vicky," came a soft, sickly sweet voice. Viktor and I both snapped our heads up to look at our new visitor. The dark-haired woman from the hospital sat across from us joined by an equally darkly beautiful woman with long, fiery hair swept back into many braids all over her head. Both wore the strange gothic clothing quite similar to Viktor's, but with more skin showing. The two of them smiled sadistically, making me shiver.

"You really know how to lighten up a party, don't you?" the redhead hissed. The two women laughed; a light, dangerous sound. Viktor glared at the two of them.

"What do you two want?"

"_So hostile_," giggled the dark-haired in a taunting way. "You really shouldn't let your pet see this side of you; it might run away," she continued, looking directly at me. I felt my blood chill. The way she was referring to me wasn't all that comforting either.

"You, Bisera, of all people, cannot call anyone hostile with that impatience of yours," Viktor returned. The woman laughed, looking back at him and tilting her head into her hand.

"This is true," she replied, with another sick smile. "But at least I don't need a little slave following me around to please me."

"Then what do you call Raya?" The smile slid from Bisera's face immediately, and the look on Raya's face wasn't all that pleasant, either. I found myself laughing behind my hand; the retort had been priceless. Raya obviously heard it because her eyes cut snidely at me.

"Be glad you're cute, or I would rip your throat out right now." The acidity of her words shut me up so quickly, it seemed as if I'd had a small episode rather than have been smiling at all.

"You will not lay a hand on him," Viktor said with a growl.

"Easy, Vicky, we know where you stand," Bisera cooed. "Even if you are just a _bozhidar_..."

"It is still enough to rid of you," he growled. The electricity crackling between the three as they glared one another down was almost visible. The mood changed swiftly for the better when the waitress returned with glasses of dark liquid, setting them before me and Viktor. She eyed Bisera and Raya with what looked like annoyance for having to fetch more drinks, but Bisera brushed her off with a wave of her hand. She trotted off, glad to get a break.

I nervously grasped the neck of my drink and brought it over to me, sipping it slightly. It was bitter and sweet at the same time. More alcohol, should've known. I placed it back on the table top quickly. Too quickly for someone like me. I hardly felt the chink in the glass neck slicing open my finger, but the sting of oxygen meeting the open wound was enough to make me wince and yelp and retract my hand all at the same time. I don't know why, but I just stared at the glistening ruby drops bubbling up on the tip of my index finger that soon became a tiny trickle of red that dripped onto the table.

I swore and was about to suck on it when I noticed the change in atmosphere. I looked slowly up from my finger to the sudden hungry looks contorting the faces of the oddly beautiful women across from me. Viktor was giving me a look, too, but his was more fearful. In that instant, many things happened at once, all so quickly I would've missed it if I had blinked. Bisera and Raya snarled like wild beast and scrambled over the table at me, eyes reddening as fangs opened like inviting traps in their mouths; Viktor moved to intercept me from the attack, slashing their throats open, then yanking me out of the booth where several more hungry eyes watched, their owners hissing as they revealed several pairs of fangs.

Something slammed into me, flinging me out of Viktor's grip and over the bar's slick counter. My vision blurred with stars as I tried to focus on an approaching silhouette.

_**a.n.: um, yeah, i dont know how many of you out there are cursing my name, but i kind of ran back out of time for the last part. THIS IS NOT THE END OF THIS CHAPTER. there is more on the way; a very cough mature cough scene between caleb and viktor i know youve been anxious for so just give me about another week or so. :P 3's to all of my readers!**_

_**p.s. idk how you would feel about the whole attack scenario, im kind of iffy on it myself, so if someone could drop a note/comment/SOMETHING! thank you. :) **_

Someone moved to bear down on me, but I snapped a powerful kick into what I could only guess was a jaw from the sickening crack that resounded. I scrambled to my feet and looked around for the nearest weapon, finding a broom laying against the wall behind me along with rows and rows of liquor. I grabbed the wooden shaft and stamped my foot down where the head bristled. It snapped off cleanly, leaving a nice jagged edge. Another one of those freaks leapt over the counter at me, snarling.

I spun on the spot, whipping the newly made staff down on his head. This one, however, was smarter then the last, becoming a blur so I only hit the counter, jarring my arms slightly. _He moves like Viktor_, I thought worriedly. I whipped around to locate him, but he had disappeared- I felt my feet rise off the floor. I looked down; the man had grabbed me by my shirt and was hoisting me up with one hand. I moved to kick him in his stomach, but he caught my foot with his free hand, and tossed me through the air like a rag doll. I slammed into the rack of liquors, crying out as I fell to the floor in a shower of glass and alcohol.

I was too pumped on adrenaline to feel the slivers of glass that had cut through my clothes and skin. The smell of alcohol was slightly overwhelming, but I was already moving past it, a particularly long shard of glass concealed in my hand. The bastard spun, whipping a fist at my skull, but, prepared, I ducked under it, springing back up to shove the glass shard into his throat. With his speed, it probably wouldn't have worked if not for the distraction of another _thing_ charging him into a nearby wall as I came down. The shard sunk in deep with a sound like a water-melon being thrown into live traffic; he spluttered, grabbing at the glass as red leaked over his hands.

My new opponent snapped hungrily. _Fuck this_, I thought warily, rolling back over the counter, but not before grabbing up my makeshift staff, the last weapon I had. I spotted Viktor now. Several people were going at him viscously, yet he was still keeping them at bay, tearing through them anyway he could to come for me. Me. It wasme they wanted. My blood... I had to get them away from him.

I turned to get out of there anyway I could, but I was blocked off by the man I had attempted to escape and two other burlier men, all watching with the same sparkle in their crimson eyes. I took a fighting stance. The middle one rushed me; too fast for me to see let alone comprehend. A blur plowed through him, sending the man hurtling into a wall where his skull split in half with a sickening noise. Viktor was suddenly in front of me, breathing like an enraged bull out of hell.

"Get out of here, Caleb," he hissed. "I will hold off as many as I can."

"Uh-uh." I grabbed his arm. "I'm not letting you go out like this; c'mon!" I pulled him towards a pair of swinging doors I'd spotted out of the corner of my eye. The remaining two men advanced. Viktor scooped me up with ease, and barreled through the doors. We flew into a white corridor, the air inside heavy with the smells of meat and clouds of steam. The kitchens.

Viktor was moving so fast I almost couldn't make out the dozens of sleek, stainless steel counter tops adorned by the whirring, beeping, smoking machines. Heat lamps hung in straight racks above the boiling pots and trays of utensils that looked more accustomed to butchering than preparing food. Actually, now that I looked closer (as best I could anyway), the kitchen area wasn't as nice as I thought. The physical appearance was the same as any other restaurant-style, but there was no food actually around, though there was plenty of what looked like blood sloshed over many places, and, what I assumed to be the chefs as we shot past them, weren't garbed in the classic white outfittings of a kitchen crew, but were just a goth-punk as the rest of us. And now, they too, were joining the ranks of the people out to kill us.

Out of nowhere, a steel pole whipped through the air at Viktor's legs. Without breaking step, he soared over it like a gazelle, but someone had anticipated it, and launched a wire of some sort to closeline him as soon as his feet left the floor. He flipped a complete one hundred-and-eighty degrees, landing on his neck and losing hold of me. We both slid across the slick linoleum floors, crashing through a thick, steel door wide open at the opposite end of the hallway. I felt myself speed up as my back became wet in an instant, and then freezing cold surrounded me. I gasped, the wind being driven straight out of my chest as I slammed into another wall; this one just as cold as the floor.

Coughing, I moved to pull myself up, and a boot crashed down onto my back, holding me to the icy floor. Ice... I fully opened my eyes. The floor was frozen over. Little flurries of downy white drifted onto my face as I tried to turn. I was in a freezer. I was in a freezer with no clue where my only protection was and a maniac killer on my back. Great. This was a _real_ 'coming-out- of-the-shell' move here. Someone's lips were suddenly at my ear.

"Don't move," a velvet voice cooed softly. "If you struggle, it will only make this more enjoyable for me which means, I'll only prolong the pain for you." I wriggled defiantly, and the soft voice chuckled at my useless attempt. "You _are _feisty.. no wonder you smell so... desirable..." His tongue traced along my neck now with a complex pattern. He hissed a little, lowering himself. I twisted suddenly like a snake and pushed my legs against the frozen wall as hard as I could, sending whoever was on top of me, toppling over. I continued the rotation I'd gained from the wall to pull myself back onto my feet.

The man made a move to come at me, but I was actually faster this time around, catching him in his nasal bone with my makeshift staff. I heard the awful _crunch_ as it shattered, bits of it even going up in brain. He writhed for a bit, but he was still much alive, unlike any other person would've been. A couple others popped through the threshold, but the heavy freezer door slammed shut, flinging them out like nothing.

My eyes flicked over to the source of the quick movement at my left. Viktor was pulling himself up from the west wall, looking even more dazed than I was. "You okay?" he grumbled.

"Been better. Warmer, anyway."

"There is a first for everything."

"This definitely tops them all." I looked away and got a full view of the freezer-immediately wishing I hadn't.

I was already expecting to see huge lumps of meat hanging from barbed hooks, but the human bodies threw me for a loop. Some hung by their ankles, other by their wrists; the sloppiest ones just got hooked wherever. Some had chunks missing, others looked drained of all liquids, the rest were only recognized as human because of all the others hanging around them; they were merely bloody sacks now, covered somewhat in thin sheets of ice. All of them shared the same horrified expression.

A few were still moving.

I held back my nausea as best I could-being sick was not going to get me out of here alive. Quickened footsteps snapped my attention back to the current situation: a whole bunch of these freaks were about to all file into this enclosed space all at once. "Viktor, the door!" I yelled suddenly. He was already a step ahead of me, gliding effortlessly from the floor over to the giant freezer door. I looked around for things to brace it with. Something major would have to keep it from opening, it did lock from the outside, after all. There were some metal racks and boxes, but nothing in here was going to be enough especially if they all had the same strength as Viktor.

Viktor was on the exact same wave length. He swept me up once more and sprang upwards onto the slightly parted door frame of the freezer door. It would look like we had tried to close the door and hide in the freezer-perfect. They took the bait, filing in one after another like demented waves crashing on the shore. Viktor slipped through the crack of the door and its frame, and I yanked the door behind him, slamming the deadbolt into place. A cacophony of irate cries and hisses came muffled from the freezer as the crazed people inside realized they'd missed their targets.

Viktor did not enjoy our small moment of victory long, already sprinting off down another hallway. It was awfully quiet now, I realized; the only sound I could hear being Viktor's light steps. He threw open another door and... we came into _another_ freezer. The two of us exchanged looks. It was a loading dock for trucks really, but everything had still been frosted over. I admit, I half expected to see some burly guys hauling bodies from the back of a truck, but even as crazy as the night had been, that was pushing it.

The small crowd filing in through the giant plastic curtains seemed to think differently, though they carried small, vicious-looking implements rather than bodies. Viktor set me down. "Make yourself scarce," he said, a deep growl rumbling through his chest. I moved back into a corner, pressing myself as flat as I could go as Viktor moved into a stance like a wildcat's, baring his teeth. The crowd rushed him all at once. I knew Viktor could become like a blur when he moved, but this time around, it was so fast, my eyelids hadn't even fully closed in the process of blinking when he disappeared altogether.

I saw one of them go flying then another slid to the floor, her neck twisted all the way around. Someone's blood sprayed into the air while another whelped, the entire left side of his body crushed while a chunk of someone plopped across the floor. The only reason I knew Viktor was wining was I hadn't seen _his _body mangled yet. The group backed off slightly, deciding to play it smart with a bigger arsenal; Viktor reappeared. One ripped a long rusted bar from what looked like a giant air conditioning unit. Another snatched a length of chain from a door, ripping the heavy padlock in two like it was nothing. The others accumulated their own weapons and begin to move in from one side- Viktor had refused to let any of them get around him, putting themselves closer to me.

The one with the bar charged first, thrusting the rugged edge at Viktor's head. Viktor dipped around it, and the next thrust, analyzing when to strike. The others took advantage of the distraction and began in my direction ever so slightly. Viktor dodged what was to be the guy's final blow and grabbed the bar, flinging the guy up into the ceiling where I heard the sound of a spine snapping in half. Before the corpse could reconnect with the floor, Viktor grabbed his leg, and spun on the spot, whipping his other opponents with the remains of their comrade. The leg in Viktor's hand detached itself from the rest of the body which spun limply across the cold floor to land in a heap against another lifeless body. Only two were able to avoid the human flail-a ghostly pale girl with a shaved head and the guy with the chain. Chain Guy decided at that moment that my body was a lot more important than his partner for he threw her into Viktor's path and sprang for me.

Viktor easily rent the girl in two like a piece of paper, but too late, he realized the intentions. Chain Guy was already moving through the air at me like a missile. I was prepared. I kicked the brake holding the tall rack of ice blocks in place beside me. The rack rolled directly in his path, too late for him to do anything. His body smashed into the chunks of solid ice; both shattered. I covered my head against the flood of icy dust and blood, crouching low.

There was a low _thunk_ followed by the sound of shattering glass as the last intact ice block slid and fell to the floor. Viktor was immediately at my side, tossing the bent rack aside, and kneeling beside me, placing his hands on my shoulders. "I think it's time we leave." I nodded slowly, lowering my guard. We stood together.

"How the hell are we getting out of here?"

"This dock would have been perfect if we weren't parked on the other side," he explained. "However, I do know a window that should put us right over my car..."

"A window?" I said slowly, processing. " We're going out of a window?"

"Or an entire club floor of these freaks."

"Good point; window it is, then."

"Climb onto my back; I can move faster," he suggested, stooping.

"The speed of a bullet isn't fast enough for you?" I joked, climbing up, tucking my staff in my belt.

"Not nearly enough," he grinned. We shot through the door we entered, and back along the hallway past our freezer-trapped victims. As we passed, I noticed there were several large dents in the door that were for sure not there before. I shuddered. Viktor felt it.

"Do not fret," he reassured me. "We are almost free."

"You owe me for this."

"You needed to get out-" The sound of metal wrenching apart, silenced us.

"What... was that...?" I asked, my stomach sinking. Viktor sped up... which meant I became blind as we reached the speed of about a Mach fighter jet. The insane laughter of our pursuers reached my ears just then, and I clung to him in desperation. We were tilting up- he'd found the stairs. I chanced a backwards glance. They were on our heels, eyes glowing like rubies out of hell. They snapped and clawed at me, climbing over one another to get a taste.

Viktor tensed.

_CRASH!_

I felt my stomach drop even farther as we hurtled out of what might as well have ended up being a fourth story window as tall as the building was. I looked back through the spray of cascading glass shards to see the crazies behind us leaping as well. They were foaming out the mouth now. I was so close...

A claw swiped at me, ripping my jacket, but still holding on. My attacker brought his fangs close. I could feel his breath on me. He snarled, opening his mouth for the kill- We hit the ground, and he slammed into the pavement, bouncing with the resounding of snapping bones. A few others were unfortunate as well, having been to focused on me to think about their actual landings, but that still left about fifteen or so up on their feet rearing to go. Before I could even consider our chances, Viktor had pressed me into the passenger's seat of his car from the driver's side and was wheeling away.

With a desperate gasp of air followed by near hyperventilation, I realized I hadn't been breathing that whole time. I forced my heavy gasping back into a regular breathing tempo. My heart finally slowed and the only noise was the ringing silence and the nearly inaudible hum of the sports car. Awkward. Silence. We both stared blankly at some corner of the windshield opening up to the dark street flashing by beneath us.

I broke first.

"I hate to ask..." I began. He stiffened- he was listening. "...because, if I do, I'll only feel more insane than I already do... but... those... _things_... were vampires..., weren't they?"

"Yes," he replied softly. First strike.

"And they wanted to...erm... drink... they wanted... my blood?"

"Yes," he repeated. Second strike.

"And you're one, too, aren't you?" He hesitated on this one.

"Yes," he said finally, not looking at me. Third strike. Call the asylum wardens.

_**a.n.2: so yes, that was it. finally the whole chapter. sorry i had to keep putting you guys on hold. i left in all the old "a.n.'s" because i wanted you previous readers to remember where you stopped and started, so i hope you didn't mind that. the "a.n.2's" are the only new ones. someone please let me know how i did on this. im not used to writing this kind of action, so i have no idea how it went... i know it wasn't blow you out of your seat, "Vampire Matrix", but hopefully it was good enough to quicken some heart beats with anticipation or something of the like.**_

_**i am starting the next chapter immediately; actually as im writing this (mwhaha, multi-tasking), and that will be a VERY enjoyable one, if you all get my drift. for you slower fans out there... well... no sympathy... **_

_**anyway, once again, thanks for reading :D **_


	7. Recollection

When I regained consciousness, I wasn't totally sure if I had passed out from exhaustion, hysteria, or the wave of incredulous information that had flooded my brain over the night's events. Rubbing my aching forehead, I decided a little bit of each. Whatever I lay on had contoured quite well to me; I didn't feel the cramps that long awaited to claim my muscles after their strenuous task. I felt beneath me. An impossibly soft mattress nearly sucked my hand in. There was a grunt. I peered into the enveloping darkness of the room for the first time. From what I could see, it looked very old. Not old like dusty cobwebs and strewn junk that should've been burned long ago, but a serene Victorian style setting with well-furnished layout of large chester drawers and a wardrobe that could've fit three of my closet. Old lamps that probably ran on oil were tucked away on a glass coffee table that rested beneath a gigantic chandelier set into the domed ceiling of bronze angels and a vast array of other celestial artwork I couldn't quite make out, probably something from the Rotunda itself...

My eyes finally settled on what I assumed had made the noise: a dark silhouette in a high armchair that could've easily been a throne from the way it glittered in the frail beam of moonlight that had managed to sneak through the velveteen curtains draping a cracked window that extended several meters from the floor to the ceiling. The silhouette shuddered, grunting again.

"V-Viktor?" I called softly. His head rose though all I could see, surprisingly were the deep glow of his chestnut eyes. It creeped me out a little. Okay, it was most likely the fact he was a... I couldn't bring myself to say the word again- I'd probably fall out of the bed and crack my skull open on my way down.

"Caleb..." he said gruffly, but I could still hear the relief in his voice. He moved out of the chair and to my side on the bed, immediately checking to see if I was harmed in any way. I pulled his large hand away from my face, slowly, meeting into his concerned gaze with defiant reassurance.

"Enough with me; why were you sounding like a distressed rhino?" He moved almost in attempt to shy away from me, but I pulled him back before he could make his escape. My hands swept over him in one deft movement. I met the bare skin of his chest. He'd pulled his shirt halfway up to nurse the scars my fingers now traced. Claw and bite marks...

"They will be gone come morning..." Viktor whispered. "I am a fast healer..." I moved to pull the rest of his shirt off. He stopped me. "What are you doing?"

"Finding out what's really ailing you," I said stiffly. "These don't seem to be it." I tugged at the material again, and he let me go, defeated. I gently pulled the cloth from his torso, tossing it where it floated down softly into a corner of the room. His bare skin had an eerie hue in the moonlight that had now moved to fill the entirety of the bed. I began to search with my hands, nervously exploring his cool skin and the thick, taut muscle rippling it like coiled steel... he grimaced suddenly, hissing like a snake rudely disturbed from concealed slumber- I had reached his back. Instinctively, my hands jerked away. I watched to see if he would protest my examination, but Viktor remained deathly still, yet relaxed.

I continued.

The spot I last touched was as smooth and unmarred as the rest of the skin around it, but an odd thrum of heat radiated from it, catching my attention. My fingers pressed gently and Viktor gave another hiss, still retaining his idle posture, however. I would never forget this spot, if any, on his body. _Ricky Davies_... I fished into the back pocket of my jeans, slowly drawing the switchblade - I had completely forgotten about it; not that it would have done any good against those _things -_ I'd nicked from the hospital that had nearly claimed his life with shaking hands. I flicked it open. The blade gleamed ominously, as if smug at being so close to its own handiwork.

"Viktor?" He looked back over his broad shoulder. "How could _this_ possibly have incapacitated you? Your other wounds... are cruise missiles compared to..." I stopped. The dark markings on the blade... Ricky's full name was etched into the blade with superior calligraphy bedecked with ornate patterns of roses. The interlocking designs of wicked thorns dominating most of the section of metal were what had actually caught my eye. Hadn't I seen something about this at one time or another?

"I see," Viktor began. "Wild roses... thorns, really... one of the many conceived apotropaics that actually work against my kind..."

"This... kept you from healing?"

"Slowed the process down considerably; a standstill, to be frank," Viktor replied, glaring at the small knife now.

" 'The branch of wild rose on his coffin keep him that he move not from it...'- Professor Van Helsing. The tradition began from your Jesus Christ being crowned with thorns, a symbol of his suffering for man; a particular relevance in the power of the thorn in keeping away evil. It carried on that roses and their natural defenses could be used to keep my race from rising to meet another day, however, it was merely misinterpreted like so many other myths against us; if we were maimed, cut even the slightest bit, we would suffer the curse of age to that point of contact, rendering us helpless if the wound were found fatal.."

"It's only a design."

"Whomever worked this metal knew what they were doing, I suppose. For that style, it is still quite old."

"Then... why did you let Ricky get you in the first place?"

"It would have looked very suspicious if I had not, and besides, I had thought it was just a ordinary blade- nothing dangerous."

" 'I passed out from a knife in the back?' " I repeated, remembering his smugness at the thought. "Is there... anyway to mend you?"

"I know some people; they will handle it." He extended his hand, and I handed him the switchblade. He tucked it away and faced me fully. "I can smell your blood; you are injured."

"It's nothing... really," I said defensively, shrugging away a little.

"I let you play doctor; the least you can do is allow me to return the favor." I swallowed hard. The chills I was about to have with him touching my bare skin... He smiled, teeth flashing. "Relax." He laid me back again. I obliged, silently careening. He placed a hand beneath my shirt and pulled it back over my head, exposing me. His deadly hands became quite gentle as he lightly moved along my stomach first, up to my chest, then across to my arms where he hesitated on the fine cuts that had resulted from the falling glass of the club's cache. For the briefest moment, his face contorted into a look of hunger, but it was gone so fast, I hoped I had imagined it.

"Is this... hard for you?" I asked quietly. "My blood, I mean..." He gave a soft chuckle that was more unnerving than it should've been.

"More than you know..." He distracted himself, softly tracing up my arm. It took all my will not to shudder. He changed the subject. "You are... surprisingly _calm- _about all of this." I grinned.

"I take well to change, I guess. Falling for another boy, getting attacked in night clubs; it makes life interesting." He grinned back. "At the moment, I'm only worried what my mother will think when I don't show up tonight."

"It is necessary..." He dropped the edge to his voice. "You must have questions..." I nodded, relieved to focus on something else besides him caressing me.

"How long have you been a..." I paused. "...like this? How did it happen?" Viktor gave an understanding breath and pulled himself fully onto the bed, stretching out beside me and propping himself up on one elbow. He left his hand on me, only allowing it to leave my arm and slide up to my face in an absentminded graze. Our eyes locked as he pondered the best way to begin his story. "That long, huh?" I wondered. He nodded, still stroking my face. He must've felt the burning heat my flushed skin was giving off for he smiled, letting his hand drop.

"Don't fall asleep on me," he teased. I rolled my eyes, settling against him. He dropped his cheek to the top of my head.

* * *

"I guess it all starts with this whole Dracula persona you humans and your wild imaginations have come up with. There was a Dracula, yes, but he was not the dark prince of vampires because he was the strongest of out kin. Vlad Tepes(1. was prince of the vampires because he was the strongest hunter descended from the long line of chasseurs of which Radu Negru(2. - Vlad's grandfather who reigned from 1386 to 1418 (if you want some form of a date) - was most infamous. My people have lived ever since sin was born into this world, thriving off the live force of others for they were damned to. These... hunters... wanted us eliminated from the face of the Earth, but there were far too many; much of whom were much smarter than the ones that chased them. To save face, this particular ménage of hunters paraded the few vampires they did find in humiliating fashions. Two of their most famous methods: impalement and cannibalism, both of which Vlad was famous for, and what gave many the inclination that he _was _truly one of us for the amount of control he seemed to possess. They say the name Dracul was given by Turks, but it was really my people who knew the man as "devil".

"How that ties in with myself... I am descended from Vlad. He was foolhardy and got tangled with one too strong even for him. He was bitten. He knew he could no longer live with his kin for he was now what they trained all their lives to kill. He shunned himself into the darkest corners of the city and slowly began learning the ways of my people. There were too many that wanted him dead; he needed protection. He created an army. No, an empire. An empire so vast that he became royalty in the eyes of my kin. Not only could no one touch him, the vampires he bred were stronger and faster and smarter than any other clan in all of Europe. They were not pure bred. They were the strongest line of hunters mixed with the deadliest of vampires.

"I was the first bitten of his new clan. Through months of planning, Vlad had configured his best place to start was the hospital- plenty of dying, sick people that no one had given a damn about in the first place. I was his eye candy. Despite the life-threatening fever I ran, my body still remained strong and fit. He waited and waited, posed as a doctor through some form of forgery until I was in my last minutes of life. He asked me if I wanted to live. To be healthy again. To be strong enough to get out of bed and live my life again. And like a fool, I said yes. The pain was incredible. Like being on fire with poison running through your veins at the same time. But I survived it. Like I said, I was strong, and I was a _bohzidar _now_- _a vampire prince.

"I was second in line, so naturally, I was the most knowledgeable from the time my new father "awakened" me upon my death bed. It hurt the most when I, who had been forced from my old life-despite its hardships-was indebted to destroy so many other lives and bring upon them this never ending death. I was an accursed wrath to always walk the Earth with my misery. Until many decades after when a new order arose: the vampires who still remembered who Vlad really was. We were forced to scatter and our leader was devoured, split among hundreds of vampires in a feast of the damned.

"I moved around frequently from place to place, never quite settling in one spot for too long. I was still young and ignorant to the ways of the outside world. I decided to come overseas after the settling of many fresh colonies, but it still was never right for me- Europe was still my home. The years passed on and on and on, but I had stopped noticing anymore. When you live forever, the passing of time is nothing more than grain of sand in a desert wind. Technology advanced, people thrived, times were good, times were bad. The vampires in Europe were no longer a mere legend. Yes, they kept themselves hidden for fear of another witch hunt, but the Dracul Empire was dead, wiped out completely. All that is, except for me. I survived. I wasn't about to die a second time. That's why I had to leave. The forces against me were too strong for me to oppose, and joining them only meant a swift death..."

"And now you're here," I said softly, finishing. I nearly said it unconsciously; I'd been so drawn into his recollection. He nodded into my own head, and there was a moment of silence in which I lay, letting his words sink into me. Viktor waited patiently, hardly even moving whilst I tried to keep myself sane. I finally looked up at him, him down at me.

Only one question would do."You're a prince?" We both went into a fit of laughter that only comes from the aftermath of some traumatic event that you barely managed to survive. And there was his laugh again. I found myself smiling more than usual. I loved it. He needed to let loose a lot more than he did.

"You know," Viktor said, settling down once more to gaze at me, "you're really cute when you do that?"

"What?" I asked suddenly feeling self-conscious.

"Smile," his dark eyes softened before his lips brushed across mine. And we were at it. I guess it's like those times in the movies. You know, after the guy and the girl survive some big catastrophe and have some of the hottest moments seen on film? Yeah, that's definitely how to explain this one.

_**a.n. i know. i left you all hanging again, but i just had to get it out there that i got s a chance to write as well as getting a chance to come up with an explanation of Viktor's past life which was extremely hard despite how easy it seems. not writing about a vampire like a million others have is not a simple task. whew but yes, i am still writing, and i hope this can tempt your tastes (for a little while anyway) until i can come up with a gratifying finale to this long awaited chapter and moment...**_

_**till then, hope you all enjoyed so far. i think i might make some changes in the previous chapters, so if a minor character's name changes or something, don't be thrown off, you'll know who they are.**_

_**:D btw, **_

(1.Vlad the Impaler

(2. Rudolph the Black, Dracula's grandfather, Prince Mircea the Old

* * *

_**a.n. NEW SECTION; here's the long-awaited ending to this chapter**_

Kissing Viktor was like taking a really cool shower on a hot day, being totally engulfed in chill and comfort at the same time. It was sedative. Every wild thought or troubled care slipped away in an instant, lost to the serenity of the moment. There was only us.

He gently moved me back, so I was fully lying back on the bed, and moved completely on top of me. He pulled my legs apart and got between them, my legs moved instantly to wrap around his. He was heavy above me but I loved it, being pushed down against the mattress. Viktor ran a large hand down my chest, teasing one of my nipples; I gasped softly, surprised at how good it felt .I returned the sensual favor, feeling my way up his defined, tan stomach, tickling him. Viktor laughed and leaned down, nibbling on my earlobe. His breath tickled the hairs on my neck, and I shuddered. "Are you... ready," he breathed huskily. I looked up at him curiously, wondering where to go from here. I had certainly never been this far past first base. Before I could even react, Viktor clutched my hips with both hands, bucking his own in slow, controlled thrusts. I moaned, loving the feeling of having every inch of his cool skin pressed against me. I especially enjoyed the feeling of his hard member rubbing against mine as he ground down against me.

At the same time, he licked my bottom lip, requesting entrance. I granted it, and his tongue slid in to shyly meet mine, dueling as it went. I'll admit, there was an iron taste to it (of which, I knew all to well what from), but it didn't matter, the rest of it was too good. His scent was overwhelming; driving me into a state of horny I'd never experienced. In the back of my mind, I knew it would come to this some day, me and Viktor. A part of me was rearing to go, never so turned on in its life. The other side, however, was nervous, almost reluctant to the power it was giving itself into. It was that part, I decided, that made me cease suddenly, against my will. Viktor felt it. He stopped, breaking the moment of intense passion. We were both panting heavily, valiantly trying to catch our breath. I opened my eyes and studied Viktor's face; his deeply set eyes were just opening. Holding himself up, he started pushing my locked hair from my face, spreading it out above me.

"Sorry," I muttered, not meeting his gaze.

"It's okay," he said softly with a smile, kissing the side of my mouth and twirling a finger through my diffused hair. "When you are ready. I will wait." I almost cried. He was so sweet and I had just tossed him off like nothing- he didn't deserve me.

Viktor rolled over, deftly sliding under the blankets and beckoning for me to join him. I did, reluctantly. I could feel the disappointment rolling off of him in waves. And it was all my fault for leading him on like that. What a cock tease. Viktor pulled my back against his chest and wrapped his arms around my waist protectively. I sighed and relaxed undeservingly in his arms. I sure hadn't expected something like this to happen in my lifetime. Then again, I didn't expect most of the things that were happening to me lately. My life was becoming one never-ending surprise party, and I was the fool stuck in the middle of it being showered with whatever everyone else decided to throw at him.

* * *

_**a.n. Caleb and Viktor... they were nearly there and Caleb decided to pull out, keep reading; there's always more than one chance...**_

_**tell me how you liked seeing as i have updated in quite a while there. i hope i still have faithful readers 0.o**_

_**the next chapter will be rearing to go bf the week is out, so stay tuned... :D**_


	8. The Beginning of the End

Like Old Faithful, with a new day, a new surprise.

Ever wake up wishing you could go back in time and fix some dumbass mistake that really cost you? Well, now you know exactly how I felt sitting up in the grand bed provided by my picturesque vampire boyfriend who deserved so much more than the miserable coward he'd been dumped with. I would have convinced myself it was only for the blood pumping through my body right now, but, sadly, I knew Viktor to be so much better than that. It took everything I had not to shrug my shoulders and run off when I felt him wrap his arms around my torso and plant a feather-light kiss on the back of my neck.

"_You_ are up early," he murmured, voice still thick with sleep as he began to massage my shoulders and collarbone.

"Couldn't sleep," I answered honestly.

"Good," he said and I felt him grin in the nape of my neck. "More time to have you all to myself." I couldn't help but grin when he pulled me back onto him and our morning soon became a very playful match of wrestling. Him, winning, of course, but easing up enough to let me top him a few times. After what seemed like forever of us horsing around on the bed, Viktor pinned me on my gut and settled down onto my back, delicately lapping behind my ears where he knew it would tickle the worst. I struggled, giggling madly under his weight when were interrupted by the deep grumble of my unfed stomach. He joined my laughter now, ceasing his punishment and getting off of me.

"Someone sounds hungry," he teased.

"I could eat a person," I joked back.

"Well, then, we should get you fed as soon as possible." He gave a sly smirk then. A flag went off in my head.

"Don't you dare-" He swung me up and over his shoulder, becoming a blur as we raced from the top floor of the house down to the kitchen in less than a matter of seconds. He plopped me down in a beautifully carved stool of some dark stone accompanied by two others behind a tall kitchen bar made of the same sleek stone and covered down with several different crystal jars of spices and oils and other contained things I couldn't quite guess at.

I happily watched - or rather, attempted to – Viktor dance around the surprisingly modern kitchen (he was only in boxer briefs...) washing his hands then gathering a skillet and what I assumed was eggs. I saw one of the stove (it looked untouched) eyes light up and there was a sizzle, but Viktor was already moving onto something else while the eggs cooked. Soon, the smell of eggs, bacon, and buttery toast wafted into my nose. Before my stomach could even grumble a second time, though, a plate of food rested before me with a smiling Viktor waiting for my reaction.

"You cook?" I asked redundantly, reaching for the fork I hadn't even seen him place to the left of the plate.

"I had to find something to do with myself for a decade or two," he replied, waiting. I dug in greedily. From the groan of pure delight, I assumed he figured that his food was just as amazing as the rest of him even if it was just bacon and eggs. He went off to wash his hands in the sink again, normal speed this time. It was hardly necessary. There was no way a single drop could have gotten on him.

"You aren't going to have any?" I said, wondering aloud why he hadn't fixed another plate.

"Trust me," he said, turning slightly, "you don't want to see me eat." Awkward silence.

"What... _do _you eat nowadays, anyway?"

"I tend to nick refreshments from the blood banks scattered around." I must have made a face for he replied, "Is it not better to take what could possibly save a potential life rather than a down right guaranteed loss?" He had a point.

"Well, can't you, I don't know, sip a little off of everyone?" He laughed, drying his hands now.

"No, it wouldn't be nearly enough to keep me moving; plus, I would infect each and every one of them for they would still be very much alive."

"Hmmm." I considered his words for a bit, absentmindedly twirling my fork upright in the air. I stopped. "But, wait... then why do you have this?" I asked, indicating the food.

"I figured you would have to eat some time or other," he said simply. I scoffed in humored disbelief and gratitude as I worked on finishing off the meal. Viktor took the plate and silverware when I had finished and was about to turn around when both of us felt it at the exact same moment: we weren't alone. With his heightened abilities, a blind man could see how Viktor knew something was wrong, but me? I had no idea, but we were definitely about to be in some serious shit. If I hadn't been sitting two feet away I would have never believed what happened next.

Four identical discs (more like chakrams with spikes set around the rings) sliced through the window above the sink, edges so sharp that the glass did not break, only mere slits were all that remained as evidence of their entry. Viktor blurred out of the line of fire and the discs sunk into the titanium covering on his refrigerator, driving into the metal a little longer than they should have. I looked at Viktor and he returned the same look of shock to me as the discs blinked red. "Get down!" he yelled.

I fell out of the stool. Viktor sailed over the bar (fast even for him) like a track star and snatched me out of the air, sliding across the linoleum floor then pinning me against a wall facing opposite the kitchen before I could even blink. The moment my head went past the wall's edge, an earthshaking explosion went off, throwing a powerful wind full of dust and debris around us where we stood huddled against the wall despite out innovative shield. I opened my eyes for what felt like the first time and looked pathetically up at Viktor for some kind of answer.

"You alright?" he asked a mix of fear and anger in his once warm eyes. I nodded.

"It's them, isn't it?"

"I fear so."

"And they're here for me?"

"Yes. Though, I am surprised they attacked like this... It seems my position no longer means anything to them; they're out for your blood and my fully inanimate corpse."

"How can we fight them?"

"_You _won't do anything, but go and get some clothes on and make yourself inconspicuous." I know right here I should've said some snappy side kick one liner like 'you don't have to tell me twice', but I was pissed off and rearing to go.

"No, I'm not leaving your side." Viktor slammed his hand against the wall beside my head. I jumped. That was the first time he'd ever shown physical anger toward me like that before.

"Do you know how irrational you are being?" he very nearly hissed.

"You can only do one thing at a time," I retorted proudly. "Fight them or protect me, and you can see how far trying to protect me has gotten us." He made a twisted face of pure annoyance, but I had him cornered. No more running to hide in a closet somewhere and hope the baddies didn't find me. I couldn't- no- I _wouldn't_ do it for the rest of my life. "You came from a line of hunters, so what can I do?"

Viktor paused briefly, closing his eyes. "They're coming to make sure the job is done; we don't have long." He glared at me. I glared right back. He sighed and pulled me against him. "You know, you're really sexy when you're impossible." I didn't even get a chance to throw something back for my feet had left the ground in a gliding situation as he blurred. I drifted back down suddenly and immediately moved to clumsily redress myself in the clothes from last night. Viktor pulled on a pair of dark jeans (that fit him quiet nicely I must add as I peeked back at him) and a snug fitting black long-sleeve shirt with a V-neck.

"You clean up well," I commended from his astride his back.

"Only when I'm about to die again," he replied, a laugh on the edge of his voice. I laid my head between his shoulder blades. He hitched me up with ease and was off again. From what sounded like the kitchen, window smashed in. They were inside. I couldn't see much, but it looked as though Viktor went _through_ a bookshelf on some level of the house. Regardless, we were in another section of the house that didn't look as though it could even fit in there.

If I could describe out latest location, I would tell you to picture the size of the Bat Cave and mix it with the technology of Frankenstein's lab then throw in the foreboding quiet and structure of a medieval torture chamber for finesse. Never would I have imagined the huge cavern that opened up to us could somehow fit into Viktor's house. But seeing is believing, I guess. Viktor allowed me to set myself down gently on the stonework floor.

"Some remnants of the original headquarters designed by my "father"," Viktor explained before I could ask. I nodded in awe as I turned on the spot trying to soak in the magnificence of the grand structure and its never-ending walls lined with gigantic portraits of what I could only guess to be the founders, ancient armor from suits of all metal to flowing silks and soft leathers, weapons of every shape and size and design. Viktor moved off to my right and I followed. Upon the wall he was approaching lay several shelves of what looked like the leftovers of a once quite impressive arsenal of weaponry; not that what still remained was any less malicious. The usual Buffy stuff: stakes, crossbows, vials of holy water, the works. However, the blades were definitely not the usual swords and daggers I was accustomed to seeing. Much more sinister. Snaking blades and ridges upon ridges that I could only picture as someone putting shark teeth on a knife. Each one had a dark gleam to it, like the thirsted for the blood of the nature of their creation and knew how close it was.

There were shuriken and other razor-edged disks much like the ones that had exploded upstairs, whips made of connected metal sections, explosives; oh yeah, and guns. Guns like you would only see in the Blade and Underworld movies. I was looking around, half-expecting to see silver bullets with liquid sunlight encased in their chambers, but Viktor stopped my wondering eyes by firmly grasping my chin and pulling my face towards his.

"This isn't a game anymore, Caleb," he said darkly. "Those bastards that just blew up my kitchen are out for your blood, and if that means ripping you apart limb by limb to get it, they will. I no longer have authority as a _bozhidar_; I am in just as much trouble as you are. We have to stay one step ahead of them if we want to get out of this alive, understand?"

I inclined my head a bit. "Hang on to my every word. If I say jump, you have to jump; no hesitations. If I tell you to get out of there, it's too dangerous, don't you dare give a second thought. And please, try very hard not to bleed. They're already in enough of a frenzy." I really didn't no what to say to any of that, but Viktor covered it, pulling me into another one of his passionate kisses; this one unlike any other. This one, like it might be the last time he ever saw me. My legs went limp and I almost slid to the floor, but he pulled my entire figure into his.

When we finally broke, I was so lightheaded with bliss that I nearly forgot where I was, but Viktor was already springing into action, gathering various items from his collection. He tossed a bandolier at me. I caught it and draped it across my chest. I curiously eyed the tiny shells of what appeared to be swirling miasma. I looked at him questioningly.

"Very much like your human smoke bomb, except that those release a cloud only briefly enough to be inhaled or absorbed and small enough to aim for one vital part of the body, reducing the risk of the Hell's Breath to turn against you," he explained.

"Hell's Breath?"

"They look simple, but the mixture inside is an instant death for any source of vampire blood. Hell's Breath is absorbed through an airway or orifice it can reach where it sinks into the blood stream-flowing or stagnant-and "inhales" every single particle of it, shutting down everything keeping the victim connected to this world."

"So, it exhales upon them, then inhales _from_ them..."

"In theory, yes. Now, these-" He threw me a small wrapped bundle, which clinked when I caught it. "I am sure you can adjust to quite well." I unraveled the bundle. It was designed like a tool belt, but each loop held a different type of small blade. Some were straight, others rounded or spiked. "Throwing weapons, but they're blessed to always return to their user." Viktor turned away and it didn't look like he was turning back.

"Is this it?" He ignored me. So, he wanted me to stay in the background... Only long ranged weapons to keep me as far out of the fight as possible. I walked up to where he was busying himself with the heavier selections. "Stop trying to protect me," I said sternly. He stopped moving and his hand's gripped a table edge so hard, that not only did his knuckles turn paler than usual, the table edge dented then splintered under the pressure. He spoke very quietly then, almost a whisper, but the size of the echoing chamber allowed me to still interpret his words.

"I don't think you understand, Caleb. You're all that I have left. You're all that I ever really had. I can't- I can't lose you now... Not to some nonsense that I pulled you into." He slammed the table, cracking one of the legs. "I am a right fool for trying to make something with you. We can't be in the same world. That's why we are separate. That's why all you know are legends. When this is over-" Viktor stopped, tensing. A low growl in his throat.

"When-this-is-over?" I trembled. _SNAP! _I whipped around. The trick bookshelf we'd come through, became a spiderweb of cracks. Viktor held my hand.

"Ready?"

"Only if you are."

"Then we've got a chance." _KA-POW!!_

And in, they flooded. A wave of vampires, hungry for my blood and Viktor's swift death. The numbers were amazing. Nothing like I had _thought_ I sensed. No, more like everyone from the club that night and their sister was washing in through that tiny space. I knew it was over. I knew we were going to die, but I had all I wanted in the world. I had found love, and that was all I needed. It would hurt, yes, but not nearly as much as losing him forever. No, we would be together now, and no one could stop it.

"I love you, Viktor..."

"And I love you, Caleb..."

They were upon us.

* * *

_**a.n. well, here's another one. hope it kept you on your toes cause i wasnt too sure about this one. kind of rushed the whole description of the hunters' lair/chamber, but hey, trying to get something to you anxious and faithful fans. hope you enjoy, regardless. leave feeback! the final battle has come; who knows what will happen now...  
**_


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